


Scenario 8

by rideswraptors



Series: Kastle Scenarios [8]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, see first work for warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 21:17:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16227494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rideswraptors/pseuds/rideswraptors
Summary: Frank takes his responsibilities very seriously.





	Scenario 8

“Absolutely not.”

 

“Fuck no.” 

 

Jessica’s plan was immediately and simultaneously shot down before Karen could even think of a proper response or question. Which was infuriating and she had to fight down a snarl. Matt didn’t bother addressing her, assuming that his decision was final. But Frank turned to her, looking a little wild around the eyes, lips in a tight line. 

 

“Karen, c’mon.” 

 

She squared up to him, arms crossed. “I’m sorry. Correct me if I’m wrong, but my story, my life, my decision?” She ticked off each item for the sheer smartassery of it. Because Matt was an egomaniac and Frank was an asshole, they immediately started arguing. She met Jessica’s amused gaze across the room. Jessica gestured uselessly, indicating that the floor was all hers, and she’d go with whatever decision she made. Then she turned back to her whiskey. Karen huffed in exasperation; no help at all.

 

“Fine,” she said evenly, turning back to them. “You have one minute to change my mind.” 

 

“It’s too dangerous!” Matt chimed in immediately. “We’re not putting your life in danger. That’s it.” 

 

Karen nodded, lifting a brow, totally unimpressed. 

 

“My life is already in danger. I’m already being threatened. Try again.” 

 

“It’s too risky, you’re not trained, you’re not--” he cut himself off immediately, since everyone realized what he was about to say. “Castle! C’mon, you have to agree with me!” 

 

Frank hadn’t looked away from her, not even once as Matt talked, his tone tight and higher than usual. Karen loved Matt. She really did, but one of these days, he was going to realize that she was her own damn person, and she was fully capable of handling herself without killing anyone. 

 

Frank shrugged, “Not your fight, ma’am.” 

 

She cut her eyes to him sharply. “Not my fight? I write about their operation, they kill two innocent people, kidnap an entire family, and  _ it’s not my fight _ ?” She’d hardly noticed that she was moving toward him as she spoke, spitting her words out venomously. Frank didn’t budge, posture rounded forward, arms folded, eyes heavy on her. Didn’t even flinch at the accusation in her voice, an accusation he couldn’t possibly miss the implication of. 

 

“Can I speak to Ms. Page, alone, please?” He didn’t break eye contact and neither did she. Not even when Matt immediately argued. 

 

“Leave, Matt,” she snapped irritably. But it was Jessica who had to bodily remove him from the room. At least she was being useful. When the door slammed shut, Karen dropped her eyes to the floor. 

 

“Totally out of bounds, Karen,” he breathed out angrily. Her eyes shot back up.

 

“Yeah, maybe, but it needed saying. I can stop someone else’s family from being destroyed, and you want me to what? Hide? Do you really think I’m gonna do that? Do you really think I’m going to let them take that man’s family from him?” 

 

He pushed off the windowsill and took a few decisive steps toward her, radiating that quiet anger she feared more than his guns. 

 

“And where does that leave me, huh? Chasing down every goon who pisses you off on the wrong day? Just hoping you don’t piss off the one guy who gets there faster than me? Waiting for the day you push it too far, go somewhere I can’t follow you? Fucking  _ hell _ , Karen!” he slammed a fist onto the counter, nearly cracking it. He straightened, self-soothing with deep breaths, his eyes closing. 

 

“Feel better?” she asked snarkily. His eyes flashed dangerously at her. “I’m not asking you to--”

 

“Yes, yes you are. And you know you are. Because you know I can’t let anything happen to you. You know I  _ won’t _ .” 

 

They were breathing the same air, noses nearly touching, each of them refusing to back down from this one. 

 

“I never asked for that,” she hissed. “I never asked for any of this. But it’s  _ my  _ life and my choice, and I’m getting that family back. So are you going to help me or hang me out to dry?” 

 

Frank let out a slow breath through his nose, jaw working furiously as he bit back what was surely a cutting dismissal of her entire person. They’d raged at each other over much, much less than some half-baked plan using Karen as bait for desperate Wall Street lawyers. But instead, he lifted his hand to her face, thumb brushing her cheekbone and then down the line of her jaw. 

 

“Fine,” he said, voice so low she almost didn’t catch it. “But,” he put a finger under her chin, tilting her head up just so, “one scratch on you and I’ll break that goddamn baton over Red’s face.” 

 

“It’s not his--”

 

He cut her off by pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. A whisper-soft, dry press, which ended before she could respond or register it as contact. 

 

“I’m responsible for you,” he told her gently, “I take that seriously.” 

 

Karen knew her eyes widened as she tried, impossibly, to take more of him in. 

 

“I know.” 

 

“So we’ll do it. But we’ll do it my way. When they take the bait, I’ll be watching and waiting. You’re not going without me, Karen.” 

 

Karen tried to steady her heart rate, tried to even her breathing, and licked her lips hoping she wasn’t blushing too red. 

 

“Good.” 

  
  



End file.
